The present invention relates to a wall member for forming a chamber within a converter for the treatment of cast iron melts with magnesium.
A converter for the treatment of cast iron melt with magnesium has on the bottom of the converter a chamber which is separated from the melt by a chamber wall. The chamber wall defines a certain number of openings at different heights relative to the bottom of the converter. During and after the converter is swung from its horizontal filling position into its vertical treatment position, the cast iron melt penetrates into the chamber through the bottommost opening and vaporizes the magnesium in a controlled fashion. The magnesium vapors escape from the chamber into the cast iron melt through the upper openings. A certain amount of magnesium must be added to a quantity of cast iron having a certain sulfur content, so that the initial sulfur content of, for example, 0.1% is reduced to 0.006% and a residual magnesium amount of, for example, 0.045% in the cast iron melt is obtained.
For the aforementioned reason, the wall defining the chamber must have a certain shape and size in relation to the quantity of cast iron melt to be treated. If the chamber volume is selected either too small or too large, the efficiency of the treatment is reduced and the accuracy of obtaining the predetermined residual magnesium amount in the cast iron melt is also impaired.
It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a wall for a converter chamber having a size and shape in relation to the quantity of cast iron melt to be treated which ensures a high efficiency of the treatment of the cast iron melt with magnesium and makes it possible to achieve a high accuracy in obtaining a predetermined residual amount of magnesium in the cast iron melt.